Searchflow

j_yorks

Does anyone know anything about this company?

My conveyancers (Premier Property Lawyers - who I am beginning to realise are borderline incompetent) told me they ordered searches from them just over 3 weeks ago. Initially I was assured they would be back within 2 weeks max. The searches are local authority (my local authority state that if this is ordered directly from them, the turnaround is 5-10 working days), drainage (if ordered direct via water board search provider, takes 24 hours), and environmental (turnaround estimated at 48h by groundsure). I could have ordered these searches myself online and they would have been back by now.

Instead, I am still waiting for them to come back from Searchflow and unfortunately because they will not speak to members of the public, only conveyancers, I haven't a clue what is happening with them.

Has anyone had a similar problem with them and if so did you find any kind of solution? I'm tearing my hair out. My conveyancer assures me they chased the searches today and Searchflow are unable to provide any kind of idea as to when these may be back.

To say I am deeply frustrated would be an understatement.

j_yorks

Also - I've found that I can order my own searches online via links from NLIS (via Safe Move or Thames Water). Is it possible to just do this and forward the search results to my solicitor?

SmlSave

Searchflow used to be a good company but I haven't used them for years, they do tend to be slower than the local authority though.

Water, environmental (and plan) searches aren't legally needed to buy a property so I'm hoping that you actually asked for them to be done?

j_yorks

I didn't ask for them to be done, no... the solicitor just ordered them. To be honest at this point I just don't care - I want them back.

Does anyone know, with these personal search companies, do they actually have to go to the local authority in person? Or how do they get the results from the LA? Because when I rang the LA on Wednesday they told me they had no searches requested on this property. Does that mean Searchflow haven't organised anything yet, or would the LA just not know?

Should I be concerned that none of the searches are back, even the ones that should just take 1-2 days, or do they all just come back in one go from Searchflow?

marksoton

You can't really complain about searchflow if you've gone down the cheap conveyancer route.

You really do reap what you sow.

j_yorks

Thanks for your constructive and helpful reply.

SmlSave

As I understand it private search companies do go through the local authorities to get the land search done. They have set 'meetings' with the local authority when they submit all their local search requests at once.

But like I said, my information may be out of date

dc197

Could it be that only one of the searches is dragging and it's holding up the return of all of them as a batch?
Could you ask for those that are ready to come ahead of the snagger?

Also, if you get a search directly, why do you need to forward it to your conveyancer? In my (limited) experience the search results are easy to understand and are written for the layman, unlike title deeds which can be written in legalese.

j_yorks

Isn't the LA search required by the mortgage company? Would I then just have to send it to them myself?

Since I can't speak to Searchflow myself, I really don't know whether any of them are back. From what the conveyancer told me today after speaking to Searchflow, possibly not. But if one is, I'm sure it's the LA search.

I am very unsure whether the problem here is the conveyancer or Searchflow-or probably both.

SmlSave

And premier property lawyers are pretty terrible I'm afraid

Has your actual mortgage offer been received? If not, there's no rush on the search as such.

j_yorks

Yes, mortgage offer received, all in place. Enquiries all answered. This is what we are waiting for.